1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method for making a cardboard box and more particularly to method for manufacturing an airtight and moisture-proof cardboard box and the box obtained.
2. Discussion of the Background
Such a method is known from British patent GB-B-2,155,908. The subject matter of this publication is considered to form part of the specification of the present application.
A problem of the known box resides in the application of the adhesive by means of which the material strip is attached to the blank. This problem occurs in particular when the box is to be mass-produced. The end panels to which the material strip is attached at least substantially completely must be accurately provided with adhesive over the entire area over which the material strip extends, without adhesive thereby ending up on the adjacent end panels. This is of particular importance because if adhesive ends up on the adjacent end panels, it is no longer possible to temporarily fold these adjacent end panels outwards while simultaneously folding inwards the end panels to which the material strip is attached at least substantially completely. When this situation occurs in an automatic manufacturing process, the manufacturing process halts, which leads to great losses. The application of the adhesive to the end panels is therefore particularly critical. In general, the adhesive is applied by means of a stamp under which the blank from which the box is manufactured should be positioned accurately. It is found in practice that in mass production, that is, in the production of about 20,000-30,000 boxes per hour, the position of the blank under the adhesive stamp can vary by about 1.5 mm. Accordingly, the problem presenting itself is that it is not possible for airtight and moisture-proof boxes as described in GB-B-2,155,908 to be mass-produced.
Owing to the adhesive layer on the relevant end wall panel terminating some distance from the edge of the adjacent end wall panel, adhesive is prevented from ending up, during the application of the adhesive to those relevant end wall panels, on the adjacent end wall panels. In practice, this means that in the case of an end wall panel that is bounded on both edges by an adjacent end wall panel, the width of, for instance, the stamp or a like facility for applying the adhesive to that end wall panel, is slightly less than the distance between the two sidewall fold lines of the sidewall panel to which the end wall panel in question is connected. The measures according to the invention preclude the possibility of the manufacturing process halting as a result of the fact that the situation occurs where it is not possible to temporarily fold the adjacent end panels outwards while simultaneously folding inwards the end panels with which the material strip is at least substantially completely connected.